Engine drive



july 27, 1948. J. D. BELL ENGINE DRIVE Filed March 26, 1945 A n ,.x vNA 'Il'. ISI o 1 Il INVENTORT with.

Patented July 27, `1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFI-"icl:

` ENGINE DRIVEl Joseph D. Bell, San Francisco, Calif. Application March 26, 1945,- Serial No. 584,876

(Cl. Wl-56) 8 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in lan 'engine drive, andhas particularlyreierence to a` cam drive such as has been described in my co-pending,r applications, Serial Numbe'i1 518,466, filed January 15, `1944, now Patent 2,440,674, issued May 4, 1948, and Serial Number 566,765, `led December 5, 1944.

In the rst application it was proposed to pro vide two concentric helical vcam tracks inter-- locked for rotary movement in opposite direc tions, and 'a rectilinearly movable drive pin engaging over both cam tracks at their intersec tions for rotating the cam tracks on the `power stroke and for being lifted by the ycams on vthe return stroke. An additional cam track was pro-` vided to exert pull on the pin on the suction stroke of the engine.

In the second application it was proposedto provide two cam tracks for the suction stroke as Well as for the drive stroke of an enginaand a specic arrangement was shown for solving certain `structural problems, inasmuch as the pin was arranged to project over the cam tracks from the outside, which made it necessary lfor the outer cam at least, to extend through the entire thickness of the cylinder carrying thecain. In the present invention it is proposedv vto proH vide a different structural arrangement for sol-ving'the problem outlined hereinabove. The principal object of the present invention is to provide an engine drive of the character de scribed which is more compact than that show-n in vthe vsecond application, and which yallows the overall length of `the entire structure to be reduced considerably.

It is further proposed to provide astructural arrangement in which `certain parts revolve v:about the-axis of rotation Aat a suiiicient radial distance to produce a `d'enite and appreciable fly-wheel effect, vwhich makes it possible to dispense with thel conventional ily-wheel and which tends `to produce smooth operation and to reduce vibration. Astill'furtherob'ject of my invention is to'combine lthe various features into a comparatively simple structure of rugged vvcharacter, arranged to allow la number of drive pins, in the case illustrated four pins, to operate on the same cam tracks, whereby the four cylinders of the engine may be grouped around the 'axis of y'the `tracks immediately above the camtrack arrangement, so `as to form a compact, powerful unit there- 1 Further objects and advantages of my invention `will appear as the specification proceeds,

, 2 n and the novel features ofthe same will befully dened inthe claimsattached hereto. i The `preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the` accompanyingwdrawing, forming part of this application, in which: *Figure 1 `shows aside view :of my engine drive with certain portions broken away;

Figure 2, a vertical central sectionlthrough .the

same; i

Figure 3, a sectional detail view` takenwalong line 33 of Figure 2; and l Figure 4, a horizontal section taken' along line ll--d `offligure 2. i

While I have shown `only the preferred f-form of my invention, 'Iwish to have itunderstood that various changes or 'modifications maywbe made within the scope of `the claims hereto attached without departing lfrom ,the spirit of the `invention.

Referring to 'the drawing in detail, the ymain shaft I is mountedin two :plates 2 `held in :spaced and- `,parallel relation by any suitable means, by the spacing rods i3 'and nuts 4. The sha-it has a cylinder 5 xed thereto by means of a hub 6, 'and the cylinder `is formed withfoppcsing cam tracks 1 and .8 which .preferably extend through the entire thickness vof the cylinder walls. `"Ihese two :sections `of the cylinder thus formed are seM cured,` upon the hub. `in `any suitable manner, as by welding, or by `means of screws, -orby being made an integral part thereof.

The shaft has revolvably `mounted thereon, underneath the cylinder 5, afhub 9, which carries 'acapl surrounding ythe cylinder 15. and :terminating, Aat 'its upper rend, in a vcam `track il correH sponding in shapefsubstantially tothe lower cam track 1 on the cylinder 5. l

y Aisleever 'I5 is secured to :the cap i8 by 'means ofbrackets i6 so Ias tolsurround the upper `portion yof the capiand` to be spaced from the'lzsame by `a ,considerable distance. This sleeveis formed withlranmuppercam track H which corresponds in shape substantially to :the upper cam track f8 of the cylinder 15.

The `sleeve lmay also Vbe formed'Wit-h a lower cam 'track 'i8 `facing ythe upper :cam Itrack Il `and corresponding in shape .to the lower earn tracks "lill and l on `.the cylinder 5, respectively.

It will be noted that the sleeve I5 in this manner vis mounted' at a'considerable` radial distance from the.` axis of rotation, and that, givenaoer" tain Weight, ithas a vdeiinite iiy-whee1 effect;

The cap,.li) andlithe .cylinder li` `are interconnected lfor rotation in-y opposite Ldiroctions iby means ofv two ring,` gears 20 and 2i-, :secured upon the cap and the shaft I, respectively, and meshing with pinion 22 revolvably supported in xed frame members 23.

For driving the cylinder and the cap II! in opposite directions, I use, in the present instance, four pistons 24, which may form part of the conventional four-cycle internal combustion engine.

The four pistons 24 are grouped evenly about the axis of rotation of the main shaft, and centrally over the space between the cap lll'and the sleeve I5. The connecting rods 25 are preferably fixed to the piston and extend into the said space with freedom of rectilinear movement in response to piston movements. The rods are guided by means of ns 26 riding in channels 2'I suspended from the upper plate 2, as at 28, and extending n in spaced relation thereto and having a cam track in cooperative relation to the other cylinder track, and a drive pin mounted for rectilinear motion into the space between the cap IIl and thesleeve It should be noted that the guide channels 21 extend into these spaces only through a certain distance so as toclear the brackets IB. n

The connecting rods are provided, at their lower ends, with -drive pins 30 which latter again support rollers 3| for riding on the .various cam tracks '1, 8, II, II and I8..

VThe operation of my engine drive may be ex plained as follows: f

Each cam track is shown in the form of a double wave, with two depressions and two crests. In the drawing a position is shown in which all the crests register and all the depressi'onsregister.

When thecylinder 5 and the cap IU with its sleeve I5 rotate in opposite directions, it is obvious that the crests of the cams form a crotch into which the drive pins descend for deepening the crotch, and for driving the cap and the cylinder in opposite directions.

Assuming that the left-hand piston 24 is at the beginning of the power stroke, the drive pin will cause the cylinder 5 and the cap I0 to revolve in opposite directions until the end of the power stroke is reached. During this stroke the drive pin with its rollers will bear on the'lower cam tracks1,IIandI8. l

Upon continuation of the revolving movement, the same cam tracks will lift the piston 24 back to its original position on the exhaust stroke.

The third stroke is the intake stroke, and it is necessary for the drive pin to be' pulled downward by the revolving cylinder 5 and the cap IIJ. During this stroke, the cams I'I and 8 become active, and bearing down on the rollers 30, pull the piston downward for sucking in a charge.

l On the fourth, or compression stroke, the lower cam tracks 'I, II and I8 again become active on the -rollers for lifting the piston 24 back to its original position. 1

It will be noted that in this manner perfect balance is obtained, each drive pin having at least two cooperative cam tracks fork lifting the same and for being driven thereby, and also two cooperative cam tracks for pulling the piston downward on the suction stroke.

The arrangement is very compact, allows of very close relationship between the different operating parts, while at the same time 'the outer sleeve I5 has a denite ily-wheel effect, which is augmented by the ring gears 20 and 2I.

I claim: l

1. In an engine drive, a shaft having a cylinder mounted thereon, two spaced cam tracks in the cylinder, a cap revolvable about one endof the cylinder :and having a cam track thereonin'cooperative relation to one of the cylinder tracks, a sleevexed to the cap so as to surround the same between the cap and the sleeve and having rollers in driving relation with all of the tracks.

3. In an engine drive, a shaft having a cylinder lmounted thereon, upper and lower cam tracks arranged on the cylinder in facing relation, a cap revolvable about the lower end of the cylinder and having a cam track thereon in cooperative relation to the lower cylinder track, a sleeveiflxed to the cap so as to surround the same in spaced relation thereto and having a cam track in cooperative relation with the upper cylinder track, and a drive pin mounted for rectilinear `motion between the cap andthe sleeve and in driving relation with all of the tracks.

4. In an engine drive, a shaft having a cylinder mounted thereon, upper and lower cam tracks arranged on the cylinder in facing relation, a cap revolvable about the lower end of the cylinder and having va cam track thereon -in cooperative relation -to the lower cylinder track,

; a sleeve Xed to the capso as -to surround the same in spaced relationthereto and having/a cam track in `cooperative relation with the upper cylinder track, and a drive pin mounted for rectilinear motion between Ithe cap and the sleeve and having rollers in driving relation with all of the tracks.

5. In an engine drive, a shaft having a-cylinder mounted there-on, two spaced cam tracksin the cylinder, a cap revolvable about :one end-V of .the cylinder and having a cam track thereon in cooperative relation -to one of the cylinder tracks, a sleeve fixed to the cap so as to surround the same in spaced relation thereto and having a cam track in cooperative relation tothe other cylinder track, a drive pin mounted forv rectilinear motion between the cap andthe sleeve andin driving relation with all vof the tracks, and ,means for interconnecting the cylinder and the cap for rotary motion in opposite directions.

6. In an engine drive, a shaft having a cylinder mounted thereon, two spaced cam tracksin the cylinder, a cap revolvable about one end of the cylinder and having a cam track thereon in cooperative relation to one of the cylinder tracks, a sleeve xed to the cap so as to surround the` same in spaced relation thereto and having a cam track in cooperative relation to the other cylinder track, a drive pin mounted for rectilinear motion between the cap and the sleeve and in driving relation with all of the tracks, and means for interconnecting the cylinder and the cap for rotary motion in opposite directions, the said means comprising ring gears mounted on the shaft yand the cap and fixedly mounted pin-` ions interposed between the same.

'7. In an engine drive, a shaft having a cylinder mounted thereon, two spaced cam tracks in the cylinder, a cap revolvable about one end of the cylinder and having a cam track thereon-.in cooperative relation to one of the cylinder tracks,

a sleeve xed to the cap so as to surround the same in spaced relation thereto and having a cam track in cooperative relation to the other cylinder track, a drive pin mounted for rectilinear motion between the cap andthe sleeve and in driving relation with all of the tracks, and means for interconnecting the cylinder and the cap for rotary motion in opposite directions, the

`said means comprising ring gears mounted on the shaft and the cap and xedly mounted pinions interposed between the same, with the sleeve and the ring gears cooperating to produce a flywheel effect.

8. In an engine drive, a shaft having a cylinder mounted thereon, two spaced cam tracks in the cylinder, a cap revolvable about one end of the cylinder and having a cam track thereon in cooperative relation to one of the cylinder tracks, a sleeve fixed to the cap so as to surround the same in spaced relation thereto and having a cam track in cooperative relation to the other cylinder track, fixed guide members projecting into the space between the cap and the sleeve and a drive pin mounted for rectilinear motion in the guide members and in driving relation with all of the tracks.

\ JOSEPH D. BELL.

REFERENCES CITED ".Che following references are of record in the .tile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,052,763 Stone et al Feb. 11, 1913 1,097,150 Valley May 19, 1914 1,177,126 Miller Mar. 28, 1916 1,377,899 Lukacevics et al. May 10, 1921 1,757,778v Mehlum May 6, 1930 1,876,506 Lee Sept. 6, 1932 2,143,698 Jencick Jan. 10, 1939 2,353,313 Lane July 11, 1944 

